Countrywide Surveyors

cooky136

Just wondering if anyone has experienced these?

I was told on Tuesday I would have my Home Buyer Report by the end of the week via email.

I called them yesterday to be told that the report has been sent back to the surveyor due to mistakes and that I would have it by close of business Friday (today).

Called this afternoon to be told "yes, it will be today".

I didnt hold my breath. No email.

Will be calling again Monday.


Any one had this problem??

Gromitt

Countrywide are known for being incredibly slow. Some EAs recommend not using them or HSBC (which use them) because of the amount of time spent waiting for them.

Too many clients, not enough staff.

'Mistakes' was most likely just an excuse to get you off the phone.

abankerbutnotafatcat

I must have been lucky, the report was prompt and when I requested a soft copy by email I got that by return.

cooky136

They are who the Yorkshire Building Society use.

Not impressed. They can look forward to twice daily phone calls next week, no excuses, no taking my details for a call back.

MiniSis

I had mine done by these (through Halifax) survey Tuesday report on my doorstep Saturday (not email I know but post is slower!!)

No probs here!

Aren't countrywide surveyors completely different to the conveyencers anyway??

Metals

Avoid Countrywide Surveyors.

I had major problems with the Homebuyers survey that was produced by them. I wish that I had done more research into this company.

I took my complaint to the Ombudsman Services: Property. This organisation acknowledge that there was a shortfall in the standard of the Homebuyers report. However, I was offered a derisory amount of compensation.

I refused to sign the letter sent to accept their recommendations in full and final sentiment.

Nationwide BS also uses them.

SPK101

I can only reiterate what others have said: avoid Countrywide Surveyors. They are appalling.

If your lender, particularly Nationwide it appears, use them for valuations DO NOT take the option for the HomeBuyers Report as well. Contract your own surveyor to do it.

This is not about the content of the HomeBuyers Report, which you always have to take with a degree of caution as all surveyors are wary of being held responsible for things they didn't/couldn't spot. It's about their overall performance, particularly their speed at producing the report and responding to complaints. It took a very long time for our report to be produced (for very boring reasons we have had three reports on three properties in around seven months, and Countrywide only worked on one and it took considerably longer to produce than the other two).

They will claim they're going through a particularly busy period, however, if you look online they've been saying that pretty consistently for a number of years. Fundamentally they have chosen a business model that means cutting their staffing levels to the bare minimum and knowing that by the time you have cause to complain they have your money.

The call centre, which generally takes around 20 minutes to connect to (and I know, I've called them enough times and it never seems to improve) appears to be staffed by fairly courteous people, but like too many call centres they're there to absorb the frustration of customers rather than empowered to actually do anything. They're given no information about why things take so long and can only pass on customer complaints to various managers. There is layer upon layer of management and bureaucracy to wade through and little in the way of answers when you do.

If you are applying for a mortgage, particularly with Nationwide, please please check who will be doing the survey. If it's Countrywide insist they only do the valuation (you could ask for Nationwide not to use them at all, but it's unlikely that'll have an effect) and contact another, better reviewed surveyor.

kingstreet

Countrywide is Nationwide's panel manager, it isn't just a firm Nationwide might use in your local area.

If they have coverage, Countrywide will always instruct itself first, sending the business out to another firm where it has no coverage or no capacity.

I would have only the basic mortgage report & valuation done too.

StaffieTerrier

My full building survey was instructed by Countrywide but a local firm carried it out (South Wales). The survey was carried out on the Wednesday and the report arrived in the post on the Saturday. I was worried it would be a problem after reading other people's experiences, but I've no complaints at all.

LuSiVe

Mine was carried out on a Thursday and I had the report by email Monday morning. Chatted on the phone to the guy the next day for more info, even though he wasn't working that day. No complaints here (Chesterfield) ...

[Deleted User]

Ugh. Just ugh.

When they booked in the valuation it was two weeks away because they had no surveyors free until then. Now the tenants having messed them around and not let them in (which is obviously not Countrywide's fault) and it's had to be rebooked... yet again it's two weeks away. Can they seriously not just hire some more staff?? I can't get anything else done until this survey is done and it's taking forever.